Playing Hooky in Our Mid-Twenties
by Kiba Sniper
Summary: After a long day of dealing with the Tender Brains, Crystal and Franke leave the camp behind for a night. Franke/Crystal.


Femslash February 2020 Day 15: Rest Day.

Playing Hooky in Our Mid-Twenties

The Tender Brains were as hyperactive as a group of seven-to-nine-year-olds could be. Some of them couldn't sit still for five minutes, and Franke had to chase after them before they hurt themselves during Telekinetic Arts and Crafts. Others refused to participate in mental basket weaving and insisted they were ready for combat training, even though they couldn't charge a PSI blast. Some of them never showed up for class, reminding her of her own childhood when she and Kitty would skip to steal arrowheads from other campers.

But with Crystal at her side, the cadets minded their manners. They were drawn to her pleasant nature and listened to everything she said. It was like she was the Milla Vodello for the next generation, each Tender Brain in awe when she telekinetically weaved a straw basket with her eyes closed.

Another long day of classes had finally subsided, and they were left alone in the lodge. The children had scattered, some of them running off for a game of hide and seek in the woods. Others loitered by the store where a yawning, suffering intern with black rings under his eyes took their arrowheads in exchange for Cobweb Dusters and Dream Fluffs, their shrill voices making him cringe every other second.

"Man, how do you stay so calm with these rugrats?" Franke asked, exhaustion making her voice gravelly.

Crystal giggled as she groaned and leaned into her shoulder. She wreathed her arm around Franke's waist and pulled her closer, saying, "Aw, I don't do anything special. I just act like myself."

"I know, but they, like, kiss the ground you walk on," Franke replied, lightly nudging Crystal's stomach. She straightened and clasped her hands together in prayer. "They're like 'oh, Agent Snagrash, you're so amazing and cool, and we love you so much, but not as much as Agent Athens loves you, but still-'" She took a quick breath. "-we worship you like a goddess 'cause you probably were a goddess in a past life, and we can sense your godliness.'"

Crystal laughed and played with a loose curl of Franke's short, dyed hair. She knew that certainly wasn't true, but the idea amused her. Her girlfriend was always lavishing her with praise, which at times, she had to convince herself to accept.

But one glance at Franke's face quickly shifted her thoughts. The usual light in Franke's eyes seemed faded, dulling her violet irises. It seemed like a struggle for Franke to keep smiling, the muscles in her face twitching slightly as she looked at Crystal. Franke did not appear to realize it until Crystal set her thumb to her forehead, feeling her temple throb rhythmically against her.

"I guess the kids really tired you out today, huh?" Crystal offered, tilting her head, her long ponytail falling over her shoulder.

"Oh, huh, guess so," Franke mumbled and quickly rubbed her eyes. Blinking a few times, she yawned and arched her back, cracking her spine. Her vision briefly crossed, creating two Crystals before they fused back into one when her eyes refocused.

Crystal hummed and drummed her fingers on her thigh. When the higher-ups assigned them camp duty, she already had experience dealing with the Whispering Rock campers. Summer camp was a haven from the stress of missions and paperwork, and she had found herself looking forward to returning to Whispering Rock to help the PSI cadets on their paths to becoming Psychonauts.

But Franke wasn't as experienced. It was her first time dealing with the campers, most of whom seemed to act as uncooperative as possible whenever Crystal wasn't around. Getting up early, controlling the dining periods, breaking up fights between the kids, it was all painfully new to Franke and taking a physical toll on her.

"I got it!" Crystal blurted, an idea striking her as she smacked her fist into her open palm.

"What'cha got, babe?" Franke asked, wincing at her sharp tone.

She spun around in her seat and hopped to her feet. Hitching her thumb at the back door, Crystal lowered her voice when the intern glared over at her. "Wanna get out of here for tonight? We can go get dinner and see a movie in the next town over."

Franke gasped, clapping her hand to her cheek in mock shock. "You wanna play hooky? Crystal Flowers Snagrash, when did you become a bad girl?" she asked, humor infused with each word.

"I became a bad girl when I started dating one," she said, winking and giggling. She took Franke's hand and pulled her to her feet. Lacing her fingers between the spaces of Franke's hand, she swung their arms together as she escorted Franke out of the lodge, the intern continuing to glower at them.

"What's even playing right now?" Franke asked as they walked towards the parking lot, their old stomping grounds having not changed a bit since their time as campers.

Tapping her chin, Crystal tried thinking of any movie playing and came up blank. With a shrug, she admitted, "Um, I dunno. I guess we'll find out when we get there."

"Oh, I hope something awful is out. I wanna see something so bad it's good." She clenched her fists as they rounded over to Crystal's small, dark red Volkswagen.

"Me, too! Maybe one of those really bad horror movies is out, like an over the top slasher film Bobby likes."

Franke snickered and clicked her tongue, watching Crystal fish her keys out of her pocket. "Oh, do not let him hear you say that, babe. He's still defending the remake of Texas Chainsaw."

"Oof," was all Crystal said as she unlocked her car and got inside.

Settling into the leather passenger seat, Franke stretched her legs and listened to Crystal start her car. She rolled down her window and threw her arm out, lightly patting the door as Crystal backed out, carefully avoiding Mikhail's massive Volga, which took up two spaces. She smiled at Crystal, watching her take out a dark gray gate opener from her glove compartment and clicked the large red button.

As the gates to Whispering Rock unlocked and parted, leading out to the stretch of asphalt and redwood trees, Crystal turned on the radio and tossed the gate opener in her backseat. The opening synths and drums to an 80s track blared, and as she tapped along on her steering wheel, Crystal drove them out of Whispering Rock. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Franke staring at her with adoration in her eyes, and her cheeks flushed, the sensation of being loved still feeling new to her despite years of dating Franke.

"This was a perfect idea, babe," Franke said, relaxing in her seat and crossing her legs.

"I hope Phoebe and the guys don't get too mad that we left camp," Crystal replied without a hint of worry.

"They'll be fine. I heard Mikhail and Bobby organized some dumb fight club for the Astral Warriors and Aura Wranglers tonight, so Phoebe and Quentin are gonna have their hands full."

Crystal chuckled, the idea of them working together sounding as ludicrous as their fight club. "Oh, then, yeah, we're totally safe."

Laughing at Crystal's quick acceptance, Franke felt the wind in her hair and breathed in the drifting scent of pine and oak. Continuing to tap along to the song as Crystal hummed, Franke was more than glad to have the night dedicated to her girlfriend.


End file.
